Body found in burned home of killer of 2 New York firemen

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

WEBSTER, New York - Police have found human remains in the burned-out home of the New York state ex-convict who killed two firefighters and believe the victim is the gunman's sister.

Police Chief Gerald Pickering said Tuesday the remains were found in the charred house that 62-year-old William Spengler shared with his 67-year-old sister, Cheryl. A medical examiner will need to determine the identity.

Police say William Spengler armed himself with a revolver, shotgun and military-style rifle before he set his house on fire to lure first responders into a pre-dawn death trap on Christmas Eve.

Pickering says Spengler "was equipped to go to war."

Spengler killed himself as seven houses burned around him. A friend said Spengler hated his sister, but police say a motive hasn't been determined.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.